Method for producing a decorative nonwoven fabric



P 20, 1966 G. D. RUSSELL ETAL 3,274,018

METHOD FOR PRODUCING A DECORATIVE NONWOVEN FABRIC Filed Feb. 18, 1965 mvENToR s:

United States Patent METHOD FOR 'PRObUOlNG A DECORATIVE NONWOVEN FABRIC Gordon D. Russell, Chateauguay Heights, Quebec, and Edmund J. Slriejka, Montreal North, Quebec, Canada, assignors to Johnson 8; Johnson, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 438,174 4 Claims. (Cl. 11711) The present application is a continuation-in-part of our co-pending application Serial No. 142,574, filed October 3, 1961, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to decorative, bonded nonwoven fabrics having a unique lace-like appearance and to methods of making the same. More particularly, the present invention is concerned With decorative, bonded nonwoven fabrics having a predetermined pattern of stabilized, bonded areas which are relatively imperforate and other areas which are unbonded but perforated.

Nonwoven fabrics have become increasingly important in the textile and related industries, primarily because of their low cost of manufacture for a given coverage, as compared to the cost of more conventional textile fabrics made by weaving, knitting, or felting. Examples of uses of such nonwoven fabrics are wrapping and packaging materials, hospital caps, dental bibs, eye pads, dress shields, casket liners, shoe liners, shoulder pads, skirts, hand towels, handkerchiefs, tapes, bags, table napkins, curtains, draperies, etc. Because of this wide variety of uses, these nonwoven fabrics are available in a wide range of fabrics weights of from as little as about 100 grains per square yard to as much as about 4000 grains or more per square yard.

Although not limited thereto, the decorative, bonded nonwoven fabrics of the present invention are preferably prepared from starting materials such as oriented or carded fibrous Webs composed of textile-length fibers, the major proportion of which are aligned predominantly in one direction, practically always the machine, or long direction of the fibrous web. Other starting materials applicable to the principles of the present invention include, for example, cross-laid nonwoven fabrics, wherein card webs are laid in layers with the predominant fiber orientation of each layer at angles to adjacent layers. Still other starting materials include, for example, fibrous webs composed of textile-length or shorter fibers in various proportions by weight wherein the individual fibers are disposed at random and are not predominantly oriented or aligned in any one direction. Such fibrous webs are sometimes referred to as isotropic webs.

In all of the above-described fibrous webs, the fibers are in an overlapping and intersecting relationship and prior to the addition of a bonding agent, the webs are solely held together by the frictional and interlocking engagement between the fibers.

These oriented, cross-laid, or isotropic fibrous webs, or layers of various combinations thereof, may be reorganized or rearranged into predetermined designs and patterns of fabric openings and fiber bundles by methods and apparatus described in greater particularity in US. Patent 2,862,251, issued December 2, 1958, to Frank Kalwaites. The resulting nonwoven fabrics are now known commercially as KEYBAK nonwoven fabrics.

Decorative effects have been achieved to a limited extent in these specially prepared nonwoven fabrics by blocking off perforations in the cylindrical forming drum of the apparatus described in the above-mentioned US. patent, whereby some areas of the resulting nonwoven fabric are not perforated while the remaining areas of the nonwoven fabric are rearranged into the predetermined pattern of 'ice fabric openings and fiber bundles. Such methods, however, do not lend themselves to very fine or intricate designs or patterns and have to be limited to larger and less complicated decorative effects.

Additionally, in all these prior efforts to achieve decorative effects, the application of binder takes place after after the rearranging step and is either an over-all bonding which covers the entire surface of the nonwoven fabric, or is an intermittent print-bonding which usually covers only about 35% or less of the surface of the nonwoven fabric. As a consequence, both the perforated and imperforate areas are always similarly bonded, that is, both are either over-all bonded or both are only intermittently bonded. One area cannot be bonded one way and another area bonded another way.

Theoretically of course, the pattern of perforating and the pattern of bonding can be synchronized so that the imperforate areas of the final fabric are bonded while the perforate areas of the fabric remain unbonded. However, as a practical matter such cannot be accomplished on a commercial basis or for extended continuous operation because of the intricacy of the patterns and more important because of the frailty of the fibrous web itself which becomes drafted and distorted during bonding and perforating processes.

It is sometimes desired in some decorative nonwoven fabrics that the areas be bonded differently, for example, the perforated areas could be either unbonded or only intermittently bonded and the imperforate areas could be completely over-all bonded whereby they would be denser and stronger and would stand out more conspicuously, thus accentuating the predetermined design or pattern.

It has now been discovered that such a decorative, bonded nonwoven fabric may be made by first initially bonding the starting fibrous web in a predetermined print pattern of intermittent binder areas and then subsequently rearranging the intermittently bonded fibrous web. Though rearranging forces are applied to the entire web, the rearranging process takes place only in the unbonded fabric areas where the fibers are free to move and does not take place in the bonded fabric areas where the fibers are not free to move. As a result, the bonded areas are not rearranged and are imperforate and stand out conspicuously in contrast to the perforated areas which are completely unbonded and are rearranged.

Throughout this description the term perforate fabric areas or perforated fabric areas means areas of web which have distinct holes surrounded by fibers and not just the holes themselves.

The term imperforate fabric areas means areas of web which are pervious but in which the fibers are relatively uniformly distributed in overlapping and intersecting relation-ship and there are no distinct holes.

In the event that is is desired to intermittently bond the perforated fabric areas after the rearranging step so that they are stronger and hold together better, the decorative nonwoven fabric may be given an intermittent post binding treatment whereby the final decorative bonded nonwoven fabric comprises a predetermined pattern of overall bonded, imperforate areas and intermittently bonded, perforated areas.

An advantage of such methods is the problem of synchronizing the pattern of bonding with the pattern of perforating is completely eliminated, thus allowing for high speed continuous operation even of the lightest weight fibrous webs.

Another advantage of such methods is noted immediately in the fact that the fineness or intricacy of the design or pattern is determined to a great extent by the fineness and intricacy of the printed binder lines or areas.

And, inasmuch as such binder lines or areas can be controlled by the use of printing rolls which can be accurately etched or engraved to tolerances of within thousandths of an inch, it is readily appreciated that the present methods can provide very fine and intricate designs and patterns.

The particular predetermined pattern selected for the initial intermittent print bonding may have basically any desired shape, form or configuration. For example, the binder areas may be continuous or discontinuous straight, sinuous, curved, or wavy lines; rows of polygons, circles, annuli, or other regular or irregularly shaped geometric figures; all of which normally extend across the width of the nonwoven fabric at various angles to the long direction thereof. Specific examples of such binder areas are noted in U.S. Patents 2,705,688; 2,705,687; 2,705,498 and 3,009,822.

One common factor, however, is to be particularly noted in all these intermittent print patterns, namely, that the total surface coverage of the binder lines or areas should not substantially exceed about 35% of the total surface of the nonwoven fabric, if a soft hand, drape and other textile-like properties and characteristics are desired or required. In cases where a somewhat different hand and drape is acceptable, increased binder coverages of up to almost any value, say 50% or even 75%, are useful, provided sufiicient unbonded surface remains for the formation of the desired perforated areas.

The percentage by weight of binder add-on to the nonwoven fabric may be varied within relatively wide ranges depending to a large extent upon the intended use of the nonwoven fabric, upon its type, weight and thickness, as Well as upon the specific binder employed. For some binders, as low as from about 2% to about 20% by weight has been found sufficient; for others, as high as from about 40% to about 70% or more by weight has been found preferable. Within the more commercial aspects of the present invention, however, binder add-ens of from about 3% to about 40% by weight have been found satisfactory.

The particular type of binder used may be selected from a large group of binders now known in the industry for such purposes. Nonrnigratory binders, such as, hydroxyethyl cellulose and regenerated cellulose, are preferred inasmuch as they yield sharp and clear boundaries of bonded areas and unbonded areas. Water-insoluble or water-insensitive binders, such as, melamineformaldehyde, urea formaldehyde, or the acrylic resins, notably the selfcross-linking acrylic ester resin, are also preferred inasmuch as they are capable of completely resisting a subsequent aqueous rearranging treatment. Other binders, however, are also of use and would include polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, copolymers thereof, polyvinyl acryl-ate, polyethyl .acry'late, polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl butyral, cellulose acetate, ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, etc.

It is not essential that the bonding of the fibers of the nonwoven fabrics be accomplished by the addition of separate binder materials. The use of potentially thermoplastic fibers or similar materials in the fibrous webs themselves is contemplated. These thermoplastic materials may be activated by solvents, heat and/or pressure to bind the fibers in the desired intermittent print pattern areas. This of course, is particularly applicable with fibers such as cellulose acetate, Vinyon (vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer), or other fibers preferably having low melting or fusing temperatures. Other fibers, such as polyamide nylon 66 (hexamethylene-diamine adipic acid), having higher melting points, may be used when such higher temperatures are not objectionable.

It is also to be observed that the following description of the present invention will refer primarily to the use of viscose staple rayon and/or cotton fibers in the basic preparation of the nonwoven fabric. Again, such is primarily illustrative and other fibers may be used, either by themselves or in blends in various proportions with other fibers, as desired. Such other fibers include, for example, other natural fibers such as wool and silk; synthetic fibers including other forms of rayon such as cuprammonium rayon or other regenerated cellulosie fibers including saponified cellulose ester fibers; cellulose ester fibers such as cellulose acetate and cellulose triacetate fibers; polyamide fibers such as nylon 6, nylon 66, etc.; acrylic fibers such as Acrilan, Dynel, Orlon, Creslan, Verel, etc.; polyester fibers such as Dacron; vinyl fibers such as Vinyon, polyvinylidene chloride fibers such as saran; protein fibers such as Vicara; fluorocarbon fibers such as Teflon; polyolefin fibers such as polyethylene and polypropylene; and so forth.

It is not essential that all the fibers be of staple or equivalent length, i.e., from about /2 inch in length up to about 2 /2 inches or 3 inches in length. Shorter fibers, such as woodpulp fibers, cotton linters, asbestos fibers, and the like, having lengths from about /2 inch down to about A; inch or even less may be added in various proportions up to about 50% by weight, or even as high as by weight, particularly where the original method of web formation involved a fluid deposition of the fibers, such as in a papermaking process, or in air deposition techniques.

In the accompanying drawing and following specification, there is illustrated and described a preferred design of apparatus and method embodying the invention but it is to be understood that the invention is not to be considered limited to the apparatus or method illustrated and described except as determined by the scope of the appended claims. Referring to the accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic showing of a preferred embodiment of apparatus and method capable of carrying out the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of one embodiment of a decorative bonded nonwoven fabric made by the apparatus and method of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of a decorative bonded nonwoven fabric possessing a particular design made by the apparatus and method of the present invention.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, a card web W is made by a card machine comprising conventional parts as a lickcr-in 10, a main card cylinder 12 rotating on a main shaft 14-, a dofiing cylinder 16, a dofier comb 18, etc. The card web W may be the product of one card, or a series of cards, or the product of a cross-laying machine, etc. The card web W is wet out to a desired degree of saturation by being passed through a pair of mangle rolls 20, the lower roll of which dips into a pan 21 of water or other Wettingout agent.

The card web W is then passed between the nip of a back-up roll 22 and a print roll 24 in contact with an immersion roll 26 rotating in a bath 28 containing an adhesive bonding agent for the fibrous web W.

The bonded nonwoven web is then passed over a rotatable guide roll 31 and then passed in contact with conventional rotatable drying cans 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40 and dried thereon. During this drying process, the bind ing agent 30 is dried, cured and/or set, as desired or required. The bonded nonwoven web is then passed over a rotatable guide roll 42 and placed upon a con tinuous foraminous screen belt 44 passing over a rotatable positioning roll 46 to come into contact with a cylindrical, apertured forming drum 48 such as described in greater particularity in the above-mentioned US patent. The cylindrical, apertured forming drum 48 is supported on rotatable flanged wheels 50 and 52 and rotates continuously. A spray 54 preferably of an aqueous liquid coming from spray nozzles 56 mounted on a pressure manifold 58 passes through the apertures in the forming drum 48, through the bonded nonwoven web, and then through the foraminous screen belt 44.-

In so doing, those portions of the bonded nonwoven web which are unbonded and wherein the fibers are free to move become rearranged to form a perforated network of fabric openings 84 and fiber bundles 86 (see FIGURE 2). Those portions of the nonwoven fabric which are bonded and wherein the fibers are not free to move, resist the rearranging effect of the fluid spray and no rearranging takes place in such bonded areas. The continuous foraminous screen belt 44 moves continuously over rotatable positioning rolls 46 and 60 and over rotatable adjustable guide and tensioning rolls 62 and 66. A rotatable tracking roll 64 provides for the necessary alignment in the movement of the foraminous screen belt 44.

The rearranged bonded nonwoven web leaves the cylindrical apertured forming drum 48 and passes through a drying means 68 maintained at a suitable temperature as required for drying the bonded nonwoven fabric. If a higher temperature is required to completely cure and/ or finally set the binding agent 30, such may be provided at this point. After drying, the nonwoven fabric passes over a rotatable guide roll 70 and is wound on rotatable supply take-up roll 72 to be further processed, as desired or required.

In FIGURE 2 there is illustrated a typical decorative bonded nonwoven fabric which is capable of being made by the apparatus and method of FIGURE 1. The intermittent print pattern comprises bonded areas 80 and unbonded areas 82 extending across the Width of the nonwoven fabric as created by the print bonding technique. Upon passage through the forming drum apparatus of FIGURE 1, the areas 82 which are relatively unbonded become rearranged in a perforated network of fabric openings 84 and fiber bundles 86. During this rearranging step, the bonded areas 80, however, resist the action of the rearranging fluid and are not perforated. The result is a lined effect of rows of bonded unperforated areas 80 and other rows of unbonded perforated areas 82. The efiect is quite pleasing to the eye.

In FIGURE 3, another form of the invention is disclosed wherein a relatively intricate design of script letters 90 is illustrated. This may be formed by print bonding the letters desired by the print bonding techniques of FIGURE 1, drying the print bonded fabric and then rearranging the nonwoven fabric by the cylindrical forming drum of FIGURE 1. Such a fabric, however, with such a particular kind of design which covers merely a very small percentage of the fabric, is preferably made more self-sustaining by intermittently bonding the fabric after the rearranging step. Such print bonding may be accomplished by conventional techniques such as illustrated by the back-up roll 22, the print roll 24 and the immersion roll 26 of FIGURE 1. The print bonding will, of course, be relatively light and could comprise, for example, straight or wavy lines extending generally across the nonwoven fabric.

The invention will be further illustrated in greater detail by the following specific examples. It should be understood, however, that although these examples may describe in particular detail some of the more specific features of the invention, they are given primarily for purposes of illustration and the invention in its broader aspects is not to be construed as limited thereto.

Example I A series of 6 card Webs of viscose rayon fibers having a denier of 1.5 and a staple length of 2 inches is plied together to give a fibrous web having a total weight of 495 grains per square yard. This fibrous web is wet out by passing it between a pair of mangle rolls, the bottom one of which dips into a pan of Water. The Wetted fibrous web is then printed with a plasticized polyvinyl acetate emulsion binder. The binder add-on is 165 grains per square yard (dry Weight).

The intermittent print pattern for the binder is a diamond pattern such as illustrated in FIGURE 3 of U.S. Patent 2,705,498. The dimensions of the diamond print pattern, as measured on the print roll are: the width of binder line is 0.024 inch; the long axis of the diamond is /2 inch in the cross direction; and the short axis of the diamond is /4. inch in the machine direction. The orientation of the individual fibers is predominantly in the machine direction.

After printing, the fibrous web is passed over steam heated drying cans maintained at a temperature of about 280 F. in order to dry the fibrous web.

The dried, bonded fibrous web is then passed through apparatus such as illustrated in FIGURE 7 of U.S. Patent 2,862,251. The perforations in the cylindrical forming drum are staggered; the water pressure is pounds per square inch (gauge). The areas of the fibrous web which are bonded with the polyvinyl acetate and wherein the fibers are immobilized and cannot move resist the rearranging process and are not perforated by the fluid forces, directed against them. The unbonded areas, however, wherein the fibers are free to move, are rearranged and are formed into a perforated network of fabric openings and fiber bundles. The resulting material has a decorative lace-like effect.

Example II A series of 4 card webs of viscose rayon fibers having a denier of 1.5 and a staple length of 2 inches is plied together to give a fibrous Web having a total weight of 180 grains per square yard. This fibrous web is wet out by passing it between a pair of mangle rolls, the bottom one of which dips into a pan of water. The wetted fibrous web is then printed with a plasticized polyvinyl acetate emulsion binder. The binder add-0n is 25 grains per square yard (dry weight).

The intermittent print pattern for the binder is a wavy line extending across the width of the fibrous web. The dimensions of the wavy line print pattern, as measured on the print roll, are: the width of binder line is 0.018 inch; and there are 4 lines per inch, as measured in the machine direction. The orientation of the individual fibers is predominantly in the machine direction.

After printing, the fibrous web is passed over steam heated drying cans maintained at a temperature of about 260 F. in order to dry the fibrous web.

The dried, bonded fibrous web is then passed through apparatus such as illustrated in FIGURE 7 of U.S. Pat ent 2,862,251. The perforations in the cylindrical forming drum are staggered; the water pressure is 80 pounds per square inch (gauge). The areas of the fibrous web which are bonded with the polyvinyl acetate resist the rearranging forces and are not perforated by the fluid directed against them. The unbonded areas, however, wherein the fibers are free to move, are rearranged and are formed into a perforated network of fabric openings and fiber bundles. The resulting material has a decorative lace-like effect.

Example III A series of 4 card webs of viscose rayon fibers having a denier of 1.5 and a staple length of 2 inches is plied together to give a fibrous web having a total weight of 180 grains per square yard. This fi'brous web is wet out by passing it between a pair of mangle rolls, the bottom one of which dips into a pan of water. The wetted fibrous web is then printed With a plasticized polyvinyl acetate-ethyl acrylate copolymer containing 0.14% phthalocyanine blue as a coloring agent. The binder add-on is 30 grains per square yard (dry weight). The intermittent print pattern for the binder is a slanting or d'iagonal line extending generally across the width of the fibrous Web at an angle of about 20. The dimensions of the diagonal line print pattern, as measured on the print roll are: the width of binder line is 0.014 inch; and there are 8 lines per inch, as measured in the machine direction. The orientation of the individual predominantly in the machine direction.

After printing, the fibrous web is passed over steam heated drying cans maintained at a temperature of about 280 F. in order to dry the fibrous web.

The dried, bonded fibrous web is then passed through apparatus such as illustrated is FIGURE 7 of US. Patent 2,862,251. The perforations in the cylindrical forming drum are staggered; the water pressure is 80 pounds per square inch (gauge). The areas of the fibrous web which are bonded with the polyvinyl acetate-ethyl acrylate c-opolymer binder resist the rearranging forces and are not perforated by the fluid directed against them. The unbonded areas, however, wherein the fibers are free to move are rearranged and are formed into a perforated network of fabric openings and fiber bundles. The resulting material has a decorative lace-like effect.

Example IV A series of 4 card webs of viscose rayon fibers having a denier of 1.5 and a staple length of 2 inches is plied together to give a fibrous web having a total weight of 160 grains per square yard. This fibrous web is wet out by passing it between a pair of mangle rolls, the bottom one of which dips into a pan of water. The wetted fibrous web is then printed with a plasticized polyvinyl chloride emulsion binder which is green pigmented. The binder add-on is 4-0 grains per square yard (dry weight). The intermittent print pattern for the binder is a dough-nut pattern such as illustrated in FIGURE 1 of US. Patent 2,705,688. The orientation of the individual fibers is predominantly in the machine direction.

After printing, the fibrous web is passed over steam heated drying cans maintained at a temperature of about 280 F. in order to dry the fibrous web.

The dried, bonded fibrous web is then passed through apparatus such as illustrated in FIGURE 7 of U8. Patent 2,862,251. The perforations in the cylindrical forming drum are staggered; the water pressure is 85 pounds per square inch (gauge). The areas of the fibrous web which are bonded with the polyvinyl chloride resist the rearranging process and are not perforated by the fluid forces directed against them. The unbonded areas, however, wherein the fibers are free to move are rearranged and are formed into a perforated network of fabric openings and fiber bundles. The resulting material has a decorative lace-like effect.

fibers is Example V A series of 4 card webs of viscose rayon fibers having a denier of 1.5 and a staple length of 2 inches is plied together to give a fibrous web having a total weight of 204 grains per square yard. This fibrous web is wet out by passing it between a pair of mangle rolls, the bottom one of which dips into a pan of water. The wetted fibrous web is then printed with a plasticized polyvinyl acetate emulsion binder (about 50% solids). The binder addon is 36 grains per square yard yielding a fibrous web having a total weight of 660 grains per square yard. The intermittent print pattern for the binder is a wavy line extending across the width of the fibrous web. The dimensions of the wavy line print pattern, as measured on the print roll are: width of binder line is 0.018 inch; and there are 4 lines per inch, as measured in the machine direction. The orientation of the individual fibers is predominantly in the long direction.

After printing, the fibrous web is passed over steam heated drying cans maintained at a temperature of about 280 F. in order to dry and heat-set the binder.

The bonded web is then passed through apparatus such as illustrated in FIGURE 10 of U8. Patent 2,862,251. The perforations in the cylindrical forming drum are aligned in a square pattern of 12 X 12 holes per square inch; the water pressure is 80 pounds per square inch (gauge). The areas of the bonded fibrous web which are bonded with the plasticized polyvinyl acetate resist the rearranging and are not perforated by the fluid forces directed against them. The unbonded areas, however, wherein the fibers are free to move are rearranged and are formed into a perforated network of fabric openings and fiber bundles.

The nonwoven fabric is then again intermittently print bonded in a pattern of four horizontal wavy lines per inch using the same plasticized polyvinyl acetate emulsion of about 50% solids. The binder add-on is 36 grains per square yard. The resulting material exhibits a unique appearance and has a decorative lace-like effect.

It is to be appreciated that although only a simple two-roll coater is disclosed for the pre-wetting of the fibrous web, substantially any type of coating device may be used. Examples of other suitable coaters are: singleroll reverse coaters, kiss coaters, double-roll reverse coaters, etc.

In a similar way, although only a simple three-roll printer is disclosed for the intermittent print pattern printing, substantially any type of printer may be used and the invention is not to be limited to the particular printing device disclosed.

And likewise, substantially any type of drying means may be used, such as, for example, drying cans heated electrically, or by steam heat, or other heat transfer media; ovens; infrared heaters; etc. The selection of a particular heating means will depend primarily upon the desired or required temperatures for drying the fibrous web and for setting and/ or curing the binding agent.

It is also not essential that the binding agent be completely water-insoluble or water-insensitive. As long as the binding agent has sufficient resistance to water-solubility or water sensitivity that it can stabilize or immobilize the fibers during the water-rearranging process so that they will not be rearranged, the binding agent is acceptable. With respect to these binders, all percentages referred to herein are by weight, based on the total weight of the decorative nonwoven fabric.

Although several specific examples of the inventive concept have been described, the same should not be construed as limited thereby nor to the specific features mentioned therein but to include various other equivalent features as set forth in the claims appended hereto. It is understood that any suitable changes, modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a decorative bonded nonwoven fabric from a fibrous web of uniformly distributed overlapping and intersecting fibers which comprises: applying a settable bonding material to said fibrous web in a predetermined pattern of areas, setting said bonding material to bond the fibrous web, and applying rearranging forces to the entire bonded fibrous web to rearrange the fiber portions only in the unbonded areas into a network of openings and fiber bundles.

2. A method of making a decorative bonded nonwoven fabric from a fibrous web of uniformly distributed overlapping and intersecting fibers which comprises: applying a settable bonding material to said fibrous web in a predetermined pattern of areas, setting said bonding material to bond the fibrous web, and applying fluid forces to the entire bonded fibrous web to rearrange the fiber portions only in the unbonded areas into a network of openings and fiber bundles.

3. A method of making a decorative bonded nonwoven fabric from a fibrous web of uniformly distributed overlapping and intersecting fibers which comprises: applying a settable bonding material to said fibrous web in a predetermined pattern of areas, setting said bonding material to bond the fibrous web, applying fluid forces to the entire bonded fibrous web to rearrange the fiber portions only in the unbonded areas into a network of openings and fiber bundles and applying a second binder to the bonded rearranged fibrous web.

4. A method of making a decorative bonded nonwoven fabric from a fibrous Web of uniformly distributed over lapping and intersecting fibers which comprises: applying a settable bonding material to said fibrous web in a predetermined pattern of areas, setting said bonding material to bond the fibrous Web, and applying rearranging forces in the form of a liquid spray to the entire bonded fibrous Web to rearrange the fiber portions only in the unbonded areas into a network of openings and fiber bundles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Oace 19161 X Smith 19-161 X Gelpke 161-109 Bletzinger 117-140 X WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Primary Examiner.

S. W. ROTHSTEIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF MAKING A DECORATIVE BONDED NONWOVEN FABRIC FROM A FIBROUS WEB OF UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED OVERLAPPING AND INTERSECTING FIBERS WHICH COMPRISES: APPLYING A SETTABLE BONDING MATERIAL TO SAID FIBROUS WEB IN A PREDETERMINED PATTERN OF AREAS, SETTING SAID BONDING MATERIAL TO BOND THE FIBROUS WEB, AND APPLYING REARRANGING FORCES TO THE ENTIRE BONDED FIBROUS WEB TO REARRANGE THE FIBER PORTIONS ONLY IN THE UNBONDED AREAS INTO A NETWORK OF OPENINGS AND FIBER BUNDLES. 